Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

Irish Crosses. 251
and crowned. It holds two sceptres crossed in the arms,
with crosses at the top. That Clonmacnoise was a sacred
spot is evidenced by the two remaining Round Towers
there. Its sanctity was continued, though in a Christian
channel. Besides the cathedral, there are remains of nine
churches.
The author of the Round Towers of Ireland is
led to exclaim, " Within the narrow limits of two Irish
acres, we have condensed more religious ruins of antiquarian
value, than are to be found, perhaps, in a similar space in
any other quarter of the habitable world."
That writer is disposed to see proofs of some connection
between the ancient Irish faith and that of the Zendavesta
of Cyrus. Referring to the dog on those crosses, he says—
" The personation of a dog—their invariableaccompaniment,
as it is also found among the sculptures of Persepolis, and
in other places in the East—would in itself be sufficient to
fix the heathen appropriation of these crosses, as that
animal can have no possible relation to Christianity; whereas,
by the Tuath de Danaans it was accounted sacred, and
its maintenance enjoined by the ordinances of the State."
Buddhist crosses are well known throughout the East.
The Rev. Ernest Eitel, of Hongkong, describing one on
Amitabha Buddha, writes, " It is exactly the same diagram
which you may have seen engraved on ancient church bells
in England, and which learned antiquarians invariably
declare to be the hammer of Thor (the Scandinavian god of
Thunder). Perhaps, also, you remember to have heard
that among the German peasantry, and in Ireland, this
same figure is used as a magical charm to dispel thunder.
'
Well, you turn to your friend (Chinese). What is the
meaning of this He .?' informs you that it is the mystic
shibboleth of the believers in the Western Paradise, an
accumulation of lucky signs." Anyhow it had a different
significance to that we now recognize in the cross.